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Lecturer in Animal Behaviour
School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool Merseyside UK L3 3AF Tel: Email (@ljmu.ac.uk): h.j.nichols |
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About me
I am a lecturer in animal behaviour at Liverpool John Moores University. I have been fascinated by animals all my life, having grown up very close to Chester Zoo, so decided to go on to study biology at the University of Sheffield as an undergraduate. Here, I became interested in the use of molecular genetic methods to understand animal behaviour, and for my honours project, I investigated the conservation genetics of Père David’s deer with Dr John Slate. This semiaquatic Chinese deer became extinct in the wild in 1900, with only a handful of individuals surviving at Woburn Abbey in the UK. Since then, populations have increased and some deer have been reintroduced into the wild. My project found that there was little genetic diversity in the deer, and that there were few differences between herds kept in different zoos. After finishing my BSc, I worked for a year as a technician at Sheffield University with Professor Paul Quick, investigating plant developmental biology and genetics.
For my PhD and post-doctoral work, I turned back to Zoology and moved to the University of Cambridge to investigate the evolution of cooperative mammalian societies, working with Professors Bill Amos, Mike Cant and Tim Clutton-Brock. My work used genetic techniques to study helping and harming behaviour in the banded mongoose, a small (<2kg), African cooperatively breeding mammal and I continue my work on this species today. I have also worked on a variety of other mammals including pilot whales and Antarctic fur seals, and have been involved in developing molecular genetic methods.
For my PhD and post-doctoral work, I turned back to Zoology and moved to the University of Cambridge to investigate the evolution of cooperative mammalian societies, working with Professors Bill Amos, Mike Cant and Tim Clutton-Brock. My work used genetic techniques to study helping and harming behaviour in the banded mongoose, a small (<2kg), African cooperatively breeding mammal and I continue my work on this species today. I have also worked on a variety of other mammals including pilot whales and Antarctic fur seals, and have been involved in developing molecular genetic methods.
